Methods

We studied a consecutive series of patients (n=162) recently discharged from the acute care medical service of a community hospital where they had been interviewed about advance directives.

The intervention group was randomized to receive an educational brochure and encouragement to execute durable health care proxies.

The primary outcome was the proportion of patients in each group with completed durable health care proxies on file in their primary physicians'offices.

Results

Overall, only 20 (12.3%) of 162 patients had documented proxies, 17 of whom (85%) were 65 years of age or older, with no difference between the intervention and control groups (11 [13.3% ] of 83 vs nine [11.4% ] of 79, respectively).

Subgroup analysis of elderly patients also revealed no intervention effect.